A recent study conducted on postmenopausal women indicates that vitamin E works as an alternative treatment for improving sleep quality in chronic insomnia disorder. The results of the study were published in the journal, Nutrients.
This study was the first double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial conducted to evaluate the effect of vitamin E on chronic insomnia disorder. The study enrolled 160 postmenopausal women, divided into two groups. While the intervention group received 400 units of mixed tocopherol daily, the placebo group received an identical oral capsule. The study utilized the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to assess sleep quality, which was the primary outcome of this study. The secondary outcome analyzed the percentage of participants on sedative drugs.
The results showed no notable differences in the baseline characteristics between the two study groups. However, the intervention group showed a slightly higher median PSQI score compared with the placebo group. The PSQI score after one month of intervention was considerably lower (signifies better sleep quality) in the group receiving mixed tocopherol when compared with the placebo group. The improvement score was also significantly higher for the vitamin E group.
Based on the results, it may be concluded that vitamin E has the potential to improve sleep quality in chronic insomnia disorder in postmenopausal women and limit the use of sedative drugs.
Source: Wirun Thongchumnum, Sakda Arj-Ong Vallibhakara, Areepan Sophonsritsuk, Orawin Vallibhakara. Effects of vitamin E supplementation on chronic insomnia disorder in postmenopausal women: A prospective, double-blinded randomized controlled trial. Nutrients. 2023. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/5/1187
